Christopher, Thanks for your interesting note. You wrote: >> Imagine if you will a MapInfo Pro level "service" >> that you sign up for and use over the Internet >> through your browser, without installing or downloading >> anything on to your local hard drive except your own data. It's a few weeks early but you might want to keep an eye on http://www.beyondgeo.com ... These days the future seems to always come earlier than one would expect. Jeff [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> (Please delete this long-winded diatribe if you are not into spirited >> debate) >> My two dollars.... >> As an old-time MapInfo Pro desktop application user, I understand some of >> the frustration with MapInfo spending more and more energy on their MapX >> line, seemingly to the detriment MI Pro users. But I must admit I've >> heard >> many of these same complaints before- when MapInfo decided to move >> development efforts away from their bread and butter DOS product and >> devote >> more resources to developing on "that silly Windows platform". In order >> for >> MapInfo to thrive, it must be ahead of the curve when it comes to new >> technologies and platforms. The reason MapInfo is as strong as it is >> today >> is because 10 years ago they "bet the farm" on the idea that computing >> would >> be ruled by graphical user interfaces. Their main competitor at the time >> (ArcView didn't come out until a few years later) was Strategic Mapping >> (Atlas GIS), who didn't embrace the new GUI paradigm until it was too >> late...and we all know what happened to them. In addition, it could be >> argued that the only reason MapInfo made a dent in ESRI's market share at >> all was that MI was the only GUI mapping application in existence for >> several years. The Internet and rapidly expanding broadband access >> represent another major paradigm shift that is changing the way people use >> computers, similar to how Windows (and of course the Mac) opened up the >> power of computing to a whole new class of non-technical users 10 years >> ago. >> In order for any software to be successful over the long term, it must be >> in >> the business of predicting how people will interact with computers several >> years into the future. It seems the MapX product line represents >> MapInfo's >> response to what it believes is the next generation of information >> technology. >> While obviously the move towards internet-based mapping now and the move >> to >> the Windows platform 10 years ago are not strictly analogous, I believe >> the >> concepts still apply. MapInfo must devote much of it's time into making >> sure it is in position for the next wave of "distributed" applications. >> This means more developers working on MapX/MapXtreme type technology, >> leaving less developers for the maturing MapInfo Professional technology. >> (And in a micro sense, within MapInfo Pro itself more attention will be >> given to newer technologies, such as 3D mapping, internet connectivity, >> etc., and less towards tweaking the interface) Now I don't think anyone >> believes MapInfo Pro is being abandoned anytime in the near future, but >> if >> you look ahead 5 years from now most experts envision that many if not >> most >> computer applications will be internet/service based. Imagine if you will >> a >> MapInfo Pro level "service" that you sign up for and use over the Internet >> through your browser, without installing or downloading anything on to >> your >> local hard drive except your own data. >> In regards to pricing of MI Pro and its upgrades, that is a business >> decision that can be argued over until every one is blue in the face. The >> more money MapInfo brings in, the more developers and support people (i.e. >> MapWorld magazine editors) can be hired, which is better for all of >> MapInfo's product line. However the higher the prices, the more certain >> users will be "priced out" of buying MI products and upgrades; Which >> leaves >> a market niche open for lower priced alternatives (such as Manifold, >> Maptitude, etc.) to enter the picture. Each individual user has to decide >> for his/herself whether the extra money needed to purchase a MapInfo >> product >> or upgrade is worth it given the alternatives. But one must keep in mind >> that just as successful software companies must keep an eye toward the >> future, we users must be sure that the technology we invest in today will >> still be relevant down the road. (Anyone thinking of buying a copy of >> Atlas >> GIS? It only costs $295...) In theory it is possible that a company like >> Caliper is so efficient that it can make money building and maintaining a >> MapInfo Pro quality desktop product for a sub $500 price tag while still >> getting itself ready for the next generation of information technology. >> If >> it can achieve this feat consistently and over the long term then the >> marketplace will reward it, and we might all be chatting on Maptitude-L in >> five years. However until this business model is proven, I believe the >> bulk >> of desktop mapping users will "dance with the one who brung 'em." >> Feel free to argue, >> Chris >> Chris DuBuc >> Sage Software >> VP Florida Operations >> Authorized MapInfo Reseller >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Dick Hoskins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: Bill Thoen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 3:06 PM >> Subject: Re: Anyone used MI 6.0 yet? >> > I might augment your predictions a little: I suspect that the average MI >> > user is getting tired of cosmetic upgrades that cost > $500. Much less, >> many >> > of us are not real nuts about MapExtreme, the big price tag and the >> profound >> > lack of ease in implementation. (The lack of Internet capable mapping >> from >> > the major vendors is overwhelming) There is no way that the wool-dyed MI >> > user can support any notion that MI Corp is listening to the ... user, >> that >> > is, their customers who have the greatest capacity to really use the >> > product. I would take issue with your comments, or the tone concerning >> > "cheap" Low price doesn't mean necessarily cheap. it might mean that a >> > competitor is attempting an end-run and trying to break through the >> current >> > dominance in the market by AV and MI. I would say the same for AV. MI >> has >> a >> > lot of nice features, AV has a few, but there are other products that >> have >> > long since passed by and catching up ... and they are cheaper. Taking on >> the >> > metaphor of "Rule Makers and Rule Breakers" - www.motleyfool.com the >> popular >> > investment site, MI is neither. ESRI remains the "Rule Maker" - it is >> the >> > dominant force in GIS and ... makes the rules. MI and everyone else must >> at >> > best be the occasional mosquito as far as a threat to their dominance >> goes. >> > It was once a "Rule Breaker" ... it did new innovative things and to >> some >> > extent still does. (Compare ESRI magazine with MapWorld - no comparison. >> > MapWorld is by any measure an almost pathetic competitor.) In my view MI >> > does neither - it doesn't make the rules and it sure doesn't break them. >> But >> > "Rule Breakers" are appearing, and one of these days whether its >> Manifold, >> > or Caliper, or GeoMedia, or who knows who ... there will appear a >> > substantive competitor unless ESRI or MI can get make some changes. I >> > predict ESRI will make some, and MI will miss the boat. (the American >> Way >> > and all that) >> > >> > One of these days there is going to be a GIS vendor who responds to >> > customers, doesn't always have its hand out, provides credible tech >> support >> > that ordinary people can afford, training that non-high-end business >> types >> > can put in their budget (read government and education), etc. WHEN that >> > happens, AV and MI users are going to leave the sinking ship like the >> > proverbial rats. Dick Hoskins >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > GIS uses in public health summer course: >> > http://healthlinks.washington.edu/inpho/gis/course.html >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: "Bill Thoen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 10:14 AM >> > Subject: Re: Anyone used MI 6.0 yet? >> > >> > >> > > It's not shipping yet. June 1st is the scheduled date for North >> > > America. I think the only thing out now is the beta version, >> > > which no one is supposed to talk about in public. >> > > >> > > I think that most people actively using MapInfo now will upgrade. >> > > Casual users will probably think harder about it, but I really >> > > think most people will get it. A certain percentage will almost >> > > certainly try one of the cheap competitors, but will be back here >> > > in a year or so saying that their alternative makes a nice >> > > supplement to MapInfo. A smaller percentage will leave forever, >> > > and probably throw out all commercial software and switch to >> > > Linux and GRASS. At least that's what will happen if history is >> > > any guide to the present. >> > > >> > > - Bill Thoen >> > > >> > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> > > > >> > > > Just curious, >> > > > does anyone have any experiences with MI 6.0 yet along with any >> comments >> > > > on new features or views on if many users will flock to the recent >> > > > upgrade. >> > > > >> > > > any comments would be appreciated >> > > > >> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> > > To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and >> put >> > > "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > > >> > >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> > To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put >> > "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put >> "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
